Social security systems

A fact finding analysis on the impact on the Member States' social security systems of the entitlements of non-active intra-EU migrants to special non-contributory cash benefits and healthcare granted on the basis of residence.

Client: DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

Milieu, together with ICF-GHK, produced a report for the European Commission analysing the access of non-active EU migrants to certain social security benefits.

The report focused on EU migrants out of employment such as students, jobseekers, pensioners and people with disabilities. The report looked particularly at two types of social security benefits, special non-contributory benefits (SNCB) and access to healthcare. The report then analysed the impact on the budgets of the Member States where these EU migrants reside.

The report used a combination of literature review, stakeholder consultation and statistical analysis of migration and social security data and included case study work led by Milieu, covering: France, Spain, Austria, the UK and the Netherlands.

Our analysis revealed that:

1. EU migrants represent a very small share of the total population in each Member State and on average are more likely to be employed than nationals. Activity rates among such migrants have increased over the last 7 years;

2. the vast majority of migrants move to find or take up employment, and the majority of currently non-active migrants have worked before in the host Member State paying social security contributions;

3. non-active EU migrants account for a limited share of SNCB recipients and the budgetary impact is very low on the host Member States. The same is true for costs associated with the take-up of healthcare- typically about 0.2% of total health spending.

This information served as an input for the future assessment of the rules of social security coordination and whether these rules were well adapted to the challenges of the current socio-economic situation.